Living Authentically on Social Media

I’ve written before about connecting with your true self. But I’ve been wondering lately— how does this idea translate to social media? Roughly 70% of American adults use at least one social media site. This number is even higher for younger Americans. What’s more, the average digital consumer spends over two hours a day on social media sites in 2019. Hours a day is a serious percentage of our lives spent on social networking sites.

I love social media. I love engaging, connecting, and sharing. I love using these tools to find articles I might not have otherwise read, to keep updated about what my colleagues are doing, and staying in touch with my far-flung family. But I also love authenticity. In a time when our online personas are carefully crafted, when filters are placed on almost every picture that gets uploaded, how can we be mindful enough to ensure that our social media usage is also honoring our authentic selves? How can we live our values— even on social media? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Tweet me @TracySansonMD.